


Coming Home

by CherryMilkshake



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 15:39:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2856188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryMilkshake/pseuds/CherryMilkshake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the war, Nephenee returns home alone, Heather nowhere to be found. Nephenee doesn't know whether or not she'll ever appear again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> For tumblr user nanamichiaki!
> 
> Prompt was: _Heather x Nephenee, also something cute!_
> 
> I hope I meet your expectations!

After the war ended, the Crimeans returned home. The knights and nobles to their castles, the farmers to their families. Brom, Meg, and Nephenee travelled together, discussing all they’d seen and learned, while stanchly avoiding the violence that had become a part of them. 

Still, it lingered with them in the way that Meg curled against her father next to the fire, and in the way that Nephenee would wake from a half-formed nightmare, arms stretching out for the spear at her side. The spear that hummed with energy when she touched it, filled with the blessing of a goddess. 

Nephenee had hoped that Heather would come with them, since she was almost certain that she lived somewhere near Nephenee’s village, but after bidding Queen Elincia and Lady Lucia goodbye, she had disappeared. 

Despite the company of Brom and Meg, she felt a bit lonely. Those two were family after all. Nephenee felt a bit like she was intruding. 

She was almost happy to bid them goodbye at the fork in the road and continue the rest of the way home alone. 

She certainly wasn’t lonely anymore when she got home and was buried in a tangle of arms and bodies too numerous to count. The triplets had gotten so big while she was gone. They were almost as big as her now. 

It was easy to fall back into the old routines, rising with the sun to tend the animals and crops and going to sleep just past sunset after a long day’s work. The people of the village treated her like a war hero, despite her insistence that she had just been one unimportant soldier in a very important army. 

Still, it meant that people came and gave her family gifts as thanks, and with eight people, anything was appreciated. And the payment from the queen, once it began, was a great help as well. She wasn’t sure how long to expect to receive it, so she made sure she always stashed a bit of it away. Never knew when you needed to pay a healer after all. 

Before she knew it, nearly a year had gone by and winter was bearing down upon them once again. Her nightmares flared up anew as she dreamed of golden warriors appearing out of nowhere to surround the little cottage, their armor gleaming against the white of snow and she just couldn’t find her spear—! 

It was good that in winter the fields lay fallow, because she was useless as a farmer when she couldn’t sleep and replenish her strength. She spent a lot of time at the edge of the sheep’s grazing field, perched on the low fence, spear slung over her back, a mug of hot cider in her hands that slowly lost its warmth to the cold air. 

Her family didn’t understand, couldn’t understand what kept her from rest. She wouldn’t want them to. 

It was one of those days, when the sky was dark with threatened snow and the ground was hard with frost, that Heather appeared. 

“Hello there, Nephenee,” she said. She had her blue cloak pulled tightly around her, the collar belted around her neck to try and fight the chill. The wind tossed around her blonde hair in such a way that it made Nephenee smile. Even with hair that was sticking out every which way, Heather was still a very pretty lady. 

“I almost didn’t recognize you without your armor,” Heather continued. “I never did get to see you without it before.” She nodded at the spearhead that hung over her shoulder. “But I don’t think I’d ever forget that lance.” 

“Hey, Heather,” Nephenee said. “I right thought I wouldn’t be seein’ you ‘round these parts again. How’s yer ma doin’?” 

Heather smiled. “She’s doing pretty good. It helps that I’m actually home to take care of her. I never meant to be gone so long.” 

Nephenee nodded. “It sure did happen fast, didn’t it? One second, we’re stoppin’ that duke, uh, what was his name? Lud… Ludren? Ludven?” 

“Wasn’t it Ludvick?” 

“Somethin’ like that.” Nephenee kicked her feet against the cross post. “So what brings you all the way out here?” 

“Maybe I missed you.” Heather smiled. 

Nephenee snorted. “Y’sure didn’t miss me much then, if it took you near a year to come an’ visit.” 

“Hey now, I’ve been busy. And I’m sure you have been too.” But she sighed. “But yeah, okay, I have another reason.” She looked down and kicked at the hard ground, continuing in a smaller voice. “This season hasn’t been good for my nerves. I guess I just… needed to talk to someone who _got_ it, you know?” 

Nephenee sat up straighter and set her cider aside. “You been gettin’ nightmares too?” 

Heather shrugged. “I never really… stopped getting them, from time to time. But yeah, after the first snowfall they’ve gotten worse. I just think of that long march, feeling like those corpse soldiers were going to appear any minute.” She shuddered. “I _know_ they’re gone. The goddess was defeated. The people were saved. And yet…” 

Nephenee motioned for Heather to join her on the fence. “I know,” she said quietly. “I know.” 

They sat in silence for some time. Nephenee offered her mug of half-drunk cider. Heather took it gratefully. 

The clouds overhead ceased to threaten and began to snow, white flakes drifting slowly down around them. 

“You know,” Heather said. “I had this whole speech planned out in my head. I was going to apologize for taking so long and say a bunch of other stuff, but now I can’t remember a single word of it.” 

Nephenee chuckled. “Sounds like me whenever I try an’ talk t’fancy folk.” 

Heather smiled and slid her hand sideways to cover Nephenee’s. “I can remember the gist of it though,” she said as Nephenee turned to her in confusion. “I’d like you to come and visit my village so we can get to know each other off the battlefield.” A redness that had nothing to do with the cold crept into her cheeks. “I really have missed your company.” 

Nephenee flipped her hand over so it could hold onto Heather’s. “I think I’d really like that,” she said. “Lemme go an’ pack some things. Wouldja like to meet my folks in the meantime? They’re real friendly.” 

“That sounds amazing,” Heather said. She was somehow even extra pretty when she smiled like that, Nephenee noticed with only a little bit of surprise. 

“Great,” she said, turning around and hopping off the fence on the house side. “Mind yer step. Might be some nasty gifts lurkin’.” 

“Noted,” Heather said with a grimace. 

Nephenee smiled as she led the way back to the house, her heart lighter than it had been in months. While they walked, Nephenee reached back and took Heather’s hand again, enjoying the feeling of it clasping tightly around hers. 

When they reached the house, Heather tugged on Nephenee’s hand and prevented her from stepping onto the pouch. “Before we go inside, I want to make one thing clear.” She brought her mouth to Nephenee’s, her eyes fluttering shut as they made contact. 

After a moment, she pulled away. “That is my interest in you,” she said. “Are you willing to continue to see me?” 

Nephenee didn’t even have to think about it. “O’course,” she said, pulling Heather closer. “I might even be in’erested in a bit more kissin’ later.” She smiled shyly, her blush luminous against the white of the snow. 

Heather grinned. “I’m sure we can make that happen. But first, let’s get out of this chill.” 

Nephenee nodded and brought Heather inside, but in truth, the warmth of Heather’s kiss had already chased away any lingering cold.


End file.
